Are you a Supervisor? There is a Teacher in you!
This is the last under the series, “The Image of hotel Supervisors”.
Did you know that secretly, higher management tends to look at us, Supervisors as super people? No wonder some get overly disappointed, understandably so, when we fail to meet their high expectations!
How are you doing in enhancing your image as a hotel Supervisor? It is hoped that you found the various topics discussed in the series useful. Remember, ‘Rome was not built in a day’, so do not give up on yourself. Discipline yourself to be consistent in the continuous application of the principles learned; it is most critical, a p p l i c a t i o n.
I will be departing from the “The Image of hotel Supervisors” series to a new series, beginning next month. This brief may be considered as a ‘bridge’ to the new series which is going to be on education and training in the hotel industry. So let’s focus on ‘the teacher in you’.
Irrespective of the department you are supervising; kitchen, housekeeping, maintenance, front desk/office or food and beverage service areas, you must be conscious of and develop the teacher in you.
Supervisors are most valuable when they spend 100 percent of their time supervising. In our work environment here in Ghana, this is almost impossible, resulting in a blurring of the supervisor-employee distinction. We have also earlier established the demands we have on the job, which places pressure on us. It is easy, therefore, to become NEGLIGENT of the TEACHER in us.
You Have Teaching Skills
Your position as a Supervisor involves providing support to staff to do their jobs more quickly, effectively, and comfortably. Proper support maintains staff members and keeps them focused and determined over time despite challenges on the job. Identify those specific skills which you use to develop those whom you supervise.
You may not have any formal educational training under your belt but you do have the ability to impart skills, do not underestimate your worth; explore those potentials.
Instead of coming up with reasons why you can’t conduct a training session when asked to, look instead to the following teaching skills that effective supervisors tend to exhibit, adopt them and continue to work on yourself:
- Bringing Out the Best in People
- Inspiring Trust
- Being a Good Role Model
In hotel operations, training generally comprises of the three S’s; standards, service and safety.
Look out for the next series where articles will zero-in on various concerns and issues on education and training in the sector. Together we will consider how to enhance the learning environment for our staff, interns and students pursuing hospitality programs in traditional classroom settings.
